Burial-vault.



J. B. MURRAY BURIAL VAULT APPLICATION FILED APE 1.1909

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

2/2/2'227555/5'5 [2-2 manta/z" Q V Js'hrz 51 Murray soon 1 2.

,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BRUFF MURRAY. OF ADRIAN, OHIO. ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT MESNEASSIGNMENTS. TO JOSEPH BURIAL-VAULT.

E. MYERS. on oAnnv (mm,

ramiml Feb. 22, 1910.

Application file-d April 1, 1909. Serial No. 487,369.

' the invention being to provide a generally improved burial-vault ofthis class whicli'lov l l reason of the reinforcement of its walls atfdthe particular arrangement and configuration of the latter will bebetter adapted to its intended purposes than any other vault of the sameclass with which I am acquainted.

The invention relates more particularly to the means and method ofreinforcing the rectangular main body portion and lid or cover of thevault whereby a vault; of generally improvcd reinforced construction isprovided.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a self'sealing lid orcover of improved construction provided about itsperipheral 0'" marginaledges with a rectangular shaped depending flange, and a case odyprovided with a peripheral outwardlyprojecting lid-supporting portion orledge having a rectangular shaped seal-receiving1 groove adapted toreceive and contain sai .depending flange of the lid or cover when thelatter is placed in osition.

With the above mentioned objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in one of its embodiments in the accompanyingdrawings, and particularly pointed out in the ap pended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure1, is a perspective view of a burial-vault constructed in accordancewith this invention. -,\Iiig. 2, is a cross sectional view of the samewith the lid or cover in an elevated position. Fig. 3, is a detailperspective view of the improved reinforcing frame for reinforcing thelid or cover. Fig. 4, is a. detail perspective View of the improvedreinforcing frame for reinforeing the vault or case body.

Similarnumerals of reference like parts drawings.

designate throughout all thetfigj res of the The improved vault.comprises a rectangular shaped main body portion consisting of side andend walls 1, and 2, preferably paneled as shown and reinforced orstrengthened by means of peripheral or man ginal strengthening panels 3.'lhe side l walls may be further strengthened by means of an uprightintermediate panel 4, and diagonally disposed panels 5. The side und endwalls of the vault or vase body are formed or built up of cement orconcrete in a well known manner and have embedded therein a rectangularshaped reinforcing wire frame which will now be described.

As shown. mostv clearly in Fig. 4, of the drawings the reinforcing frameembedded in the case body comprises a plurality of horizontallvextending rectangular members (3, and a plurality of wall reinforcingmem bers consisting of horizontally-extending intersecting bottomportions 7, terminating in verticallyextending side and end Wall reinforcing'portions S, intersecting said rectangular members 6, all of saidreinforcing members being secured by a. Welding at the intersectingportions thereof as at 9, said welding being preferably formed by theelectric welding process. By reason of the relative disposition andarrangement of the members (3, 7, and 8, and the manner of securing theintersecting portions thereof together a generally improved reinforcingframe of great strength and rigidity is re duced. The reinforcing framefor rein orc ing the lid or cover comprises a plurality oflongitudinally and transversely (intending intersecting members 10, and11, res ectivcly, said transversely extending mem ers being preferablyarched as shown and the intersecting portions of said members 10, and11, being welded together in a manner similar to the intersectingportions of the reinforcing frame for the case body above described. Thereinforcing frame for the lid or cover is provided at its sides withwire loop eyes 12, adapted to project above the lid or cover 13, asshown most clearly in Fig. 1, of the drawings.

The bottom of the vault or case body is provided with a centrallylocated raised rectangular shaped panel portion 14, having its marginaledges horizontally-spaced from the straps surrounding the latter to bereadily removed when the casket is placed in the vault. The side and endwalls of the vault body terminatoat their upper portions in a peripheraloutwardly pro ecting lid supporting portion or ledge 15 of substantiallytriangular shape in cross section and providing a broad u-pper bearingsurface and containing a rectangular shaped seal-receiving groove 16(see Fig. 2) said seal receiving groove being preferably provided withan inverted V-shaped PIOJQCtlOll 1G. The groove 16, is adapted toreceive the plastic cement or sealing material so to herinetically sealthe lid or cover when the latter is placed in position as hereinafterdescribed. The seal receiving groove 16, is horizontallyspaced from theouter peripheral edge of the lid supporting portion 15, thus providingan outer lid supporting ledge 15, to be covered by an overhanging ledgeof the lid or cover when the latter is placed in position thusprotecting the plastic seal from earth and foreign matter during thefilling of the grave.

The lid or cover 13, is provided with a depending flange 17 adapted totake into and normally rest within the seal receiving groove 16, saiddepending flange 17, being similar in shape and contour to the sealreceiving groove 16, and being provided with an inverted V-shaped groove17; adapted to receive and take over-the similarly shaped projection 16when the lid or cover is placed in position in the sealing, operation.The de )ending flange 17, is iorizontally spaced f rom the outerperipheral edge of the 11d or cover thus providing an overhanglng ledge18, adapted to register with and take over the outer lid supportingledge 15, of the case body when the lid or cover is placed in positionas shown most clearly in Figs. l, and 2, of the drawings.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the operation and advantages of my invention willbe readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is,- I

A burial vault, comprising a rectangular body provided with a peripheraloutwardly pro3ecting lid-supporting ledge, of triangular shape in crosssection, about the upper marginal edges of its side and end walls, aidledge having a broad upper bearing surface and provided with arectangular shaped seal-receii 'ing groove surrounded by an outerlid-supporting bearing portion, and a cover provided with an overhangingledge adapted to register with and cover said outer lidsupportingbearing portion and having a rectangular shaped dependin flangeextending from the inner margina edges of said overhanging ledge andnormally seated in said seal receiving groove, said groove beingpt'ovided in its base portion with an inverted V-shaped projection andsaid depending flange being provided with a similarly shaped groovetaking over said projection after the initial insertion of saiddepending flange in said seal-receivin roove.

In testimony whereof mve affixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN BRUFF MURRAY. Vitnesses C. M. CHESEBROUGH, J. E. MYERS.

